Cannon.



B. GALLAGHER.

CANNON.

APPLICATION FILLED MAR. 1, 1913.

1,101,341. I Patented June 30, 1914.

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B. GALLAGHER.

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BERNARD GALLAGHER, OF LYNN, IVIASSACI-IUSETTS.

CANNON.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 30, 19141.

Application filed March 1, 1913. Serial No. 751,438.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERNARD GALLAGHER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at vnn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cannon; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to cannon, and more particularly to a smooth bore cannon provided with mechanism for rotating the projectile when the cannon is discharged.

The object of the present invention is to provide a smooth bore cannon with mechanism for rotating the projectile.

With the above object in view, the present invention consists in the improvements in cannon hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which illustrate the pre ferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure l is a side elevation of the cannon; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing a modification; and Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw ings, the cannon body has a smooth bored barrel 2 with a powder chamber 3 behind the projectile 4. The projectile 4 has a numher of ratchet-like teeth 5 formed around its periphery. These teeth are arranged to be engaged by a movable striker or pawl 6 located in a recess 7 in the face of the cannon bore. The striker 6 is mounted upon the end of a piston rod 10 which extends from a cylinder 11 through a sliding bearing 12 into the recess 7. The piston rod 10 is surrounded by a helical spring 13 which serves to normally maintain the piston 14 at the outer end of the cylinder 11. In order to move the striker 6 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, and to thereby impart a rotary motion to the projectile 4, a connecting passage 17 connects the outer end of the cylinder 11 and the powder chamber 3. When the charge of powder is ignited, the burned gases from the powder chamber 3 rush through the connecting passage 17 and force the piston 14' to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, causing the striker 6 to rotate the projectile 4. The

pressure of the burned gases in the powder chamber also, at the same time, drives the projectile forward so that the rotary move ment is imparted to it as it starts forward after the ignition of the powder charge, and thus the projectile has a rotary movement when it is discharged.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, which show a modification of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cannon body has a smooth bored barrel 2 with a powder chamber 3 behind the projectile 4. Projecting forward from the breach block 20 and through the powder chamber 3 is a triangular bar 21. The forward end of the bar is twisted to form a steep screw thread 22 which is adapted to enter a screw-threaded cavity 23 in the projectile 4. When the charge of powder in the powder chamber 3 is ignited, the projectile 4 is moved forwardly, and, since it has a threaded connection with the twisted bar 21, imparts a rotary movement to the projectile 4 as it moves forward after the ignition of the powder charge.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been specifically illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the preferred construction, but may be embodied in other constructions within the purview of the present invention as set forth in the following claims 1. A smooth bore cannon having, in combination, a cannon body having asmooth bored barrel through which the projectile is discharged and a powder chamber behind the projectile, and mechanical means mounted on the cannon body having a connection with the projectile before ignition of the powder charge and operating after the ignition of the powder charge under the influence of the gas pressure thus generated to cause a rotary movement to be imparted to the projectile as it moves forward in the smooth bore of the barrel.

2. A smooth bore cannon having, in combination, a cannon body having a smooth bored barrel through which the projectile is discharged and the powder chamber behind the projectile, and mechanism having a separate passage leading to the powder chamher and operated by the pressure of the burned gases therein passing through said passage for engaging the projectile and imbody having a smooth bored barrel through which the projectile is discharged and a powder chamber behind the projectile, a projectile and a tooth formed on the outside of i0 the projectile, a, striker mounted on the cannon body to engage the tooth on the projectile, and mechanism operated by the pres- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, 10,0. 

